Chapter 11
Darth Vader's Executor-class Star Dreadnought, Executor, emerged from the stars of space with a few other Dreadnoughts following from behind the Dark Lord's cruiser.
He stares down at the planet of Alderaan with great anger and hatred. He had hated the planet as much as Naboo and Tatooine.
Though he could kill Organa as he had promised to after Marek's death, the man was their only lead to the Rebel base as all of the Rebels went into hiding. Killing Organa would only dig the Rebels deeper and would create problems since the Rebels cells were coming together and had been a problem for the Empire for quite some time.
Besides, his primary objective was to capture this individual and bring them in so he could morph them to be his apprentice, sensing the potential for a great Sith within this individual. Though oddly, something was very familiar about them.
"My lord," Captain Piett, one of the competent officers who Vader likely won't have to kill anytime soon, begin to speak nervously from behind him. "Your shuttle is prepared along with the 501st Stormtrooper Corps and Death Squadron."
"Good," Vader replied, walking away from the bridge and making his way down to the deck where shuttles were lifting off with the stormtroopers who were descending onto the surface without resistance.
He takes slight satisfaction at the look that is definitely on Organa's face at this moment, but he was not going to destroy him. Vader had just wanted the Jedi and to take him to his castle on Mustafar where his most trusted agents would be able to torture this Jedi to submission and then he could probably finally have the apprentice he had sought to destroy the Emperor. This being was stronger than Galen Marek and Ahsoka Tano combined.
As he enters his Tie-Fighter, he had made for the surface with the gunships following him, them soon landing onto the surface of the planet.
Despite being Emperor and all, Bail is a public figure and the ruler of a planet. A move against Organa could backfire. Also, after these events, Organa goes underground, but not underground far enough, apparently as Breha Organa approached him.
"Lord Vader, we did not expect your presence," Breha said nervously.
"Where is Organa?" Vader demanded, placing his hands on his hips.
The Emperor was planning to publicly execute three well known and well-liked Senators before they escaped. And it wouldn't be the first time. The whole reason a rebellion is being started is that the Empire frequently and unabashedly commits well-publicized atrocities. If Sidious try to terminate Organa personally, he could just say how Vader found them on Corellia, as opposed to swooping down onto Alderaan to get a Senator. That would only incite mass rebellion.
"My lord, may I ask what is the reason for you coming here?" Breha inquired him.
"We have reason to believe there is a Jedi on the surface unknowingly or knowingly is up to you," Vader declared icily.
"He is doing paperwork right now. He is not to be disturbed."
Truth ringed through the Force, but it was of no concern as Vader stares at her. He could destroy her to pained Organa but that wouldn't look good on the people of Alderaan and that would only strengthen the Rebellion in many different ways as there are many Alderaan natives and military off-planet, likely because Organa was smart enough to consider the Empire would attack.
"My lord, we have no Jedi on this planet. If we did, our guards would be aware of it." Breha declared firmly.
"Yes, they would be," Vader replied coldly, staring at her with yellow eyes underneath his mask, "know this, Queen Organa, any Jedi sympathizers shall be terminated alongside the dying breed of the Order. The Emperor knows you are part of the Rebellion. While we might have captured him, there isn't any sufficient evidence found that your husband was forming a Rebellion. When the Empire attacked your husband and his pitiful allies at their meeting, it was only Marek and the leaders and some Alderaanian guards. Those were just the guardsmen of Organa and were not actual rebel soldiers so be thankful the Emperor has extended to you his mercy and his apologies."
Breha knows Darth Vader was extremely smart. He knows, as well as she does, that Bail could say to the senate that Darth Vader and stormtroopers attacked him and his guardsmen unwarranted and incite an uproar in the senate. Sidious realizes this and lets it slide for now.
The people knew about the Jedi. They had heard of them. That they existed was very widely known.
It's also known, or believed, that they were completely wiped out by the Empire.
There were over 10,000 Jedi at the time the Clone Wars began, and there were trillions of people living in the Republic, spread out over more than a million planets. Therefore, the number of people with firsthand knowledge of the Jedi — people who had seen or interacted with one — would be relatively small compared to the total galactic population. Oh, there would be lots of people who had seen or interacted with Jedi, but those people would be dwarfed by the much larger population who had never actually seen one. During the days of the Republic, the Jedi were legendary figures; they were mystical and strange and the vast majority of people's knowledge of them would be second-hand, from official histories and records and stories told by people who had actually seen them. Their existence was widely known but firsthand experience with them was relatively narrow.
"My lady, the people of Alderaan demands to know why the Empire has chosen to send a fle-" the guard became quiet as he read a datapad, noticing the imposing form of Darth Vader, who was breathing from behind her, his statue still imitating as always.
"Tell your people it is for their safety. My troopers shall investigate the area and we will draw this Jedi out." The Sith Lord replied bluntly, crossing his arms across his chest as he glares at the Queen under the visor. "This Jedi cannot escape from our grasp, milady." Vader turned to Commander Appo. "Commander Appo, disembark a detachment of stormtroopers and our best pilots in the air. This Jedi must be shot down if he does evade our troopers."
As the stormtroopers hastened to get off of the gunships while others remain on as the pilots flew back into the air and begin to follow the Dark Lord's command, Vader turned to stormtrooper Commander Cody.
"Commander Cody, I want you to send platoons of stormtroopers in different locations. This Jedi could be hiding anywhere. We shall block any escape route." Vader commanded, storming inside of the Alderaan Royal House.
Vader scanned the place with the Force, sensing the history of the place while also attempting to thin out his senses for the Jedi. In the few centuries that followed the fall of the Infinite Empire, the Humans developed sleeper ships. Aboard those transports, groups of Human colonists left Coruscant, the purported fountainhead of their species. Their ships had established colonies on various planets, including Alderaan. Organa ancestors were among the first to settle that new world, and they played a pivotal role in the formation of the Galactic Republic some 2,500 years later. In the following millennia, Founding Day was celebrated in memory of the foundation of the House of Organa.
The newly-founded Alderaanian society opted for a political system in which a reigning monarch was chosen by and among a number of noble dynasties. House Organa was one of those bloodlines, along with House Panteer, House Ulgo, and House Alde. As one of the larger houses, the Organa family took smaller, like-minded ones under its protection in exchange for their fealty and support.
However, Vader won't allow the history to blind his judgment since the light and darkness surrounding the house was obvious, yet why couldn't he get a direct route on the Jedi?
His best men were standing behind him. So many times did Jedi fallen for their trap and was executed or captured. While this Jedi might be able to evade the Death Squadron, the 501st Stormtrooper Corps were hand-picked by Darth Vader instead of Imperial high command and he had demanded for former clones to always be by his side.
After what must have been half-a-hour, Commander Cody approached him. "Lord Vader, I believe you might want to see this," Commander Cody reported, approaching the Sith Lord with his Holo communicating device.
"Sir! We found... Jedi! He's too powerful!" The stormtrooper from the other side shouted until he disappeared.
Vader had known that it was best to allow the Jedi to waste their energy so it would be less complicated to capture them. If he goes down there himself, if this Jedi is elusive and had the brains share, he would sense his presence if he is indeed as powerful as his presence gives off through the Force, be able to escape, and that is something that he cannot allow.
"Deploy more troops at that level. Go with them, commander. Me and my men shall cut off their escape if they manage to overwhelm you."
Anakin woke up, and saw much to his shock, him being held down with cuffs around his wrists, and it was not normal cuffs but the ones that dull an individual's sensitivity to the Force. He squirmed slightly until he conceded and accepted that he is unable to escape.
Bail Organa had cuffed him in Force Suppressing cuffs that could dull his ability with the Force! Where was that fool?! He was making it all the more tempting for Anakin to just impale him with his lightsaber!
Stun cuffs, also known as cuffs or simply binders, were devices made of durasteel used to restrict the movement of a captive's limbs. The thin but unbreakable cuffs were commonly used to bind a prisoner's hands, but could also be used to bind both feet, one arm, and one leg, or one limb to a stationary object to further immobilize a captive.
These devices were used on criminals to hold them in custody so they could not escape. The cuffs would stun the prisoner if a button was pressed by the guard or, in some cases, if the prisoner resisted too much. However, Jedi and other Force-trained beings proved far more difficult to restrain than average beings using stun cuffs.
The Geonosians used binders on their prisoners in their gladiatorial arenas on Geonosis. These binders had pulse lock points that welded the clasps tightly. They also featured an electronic release mechanism. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé were fitted with such binders for their scheduled execution in the Petranaki arena but were able to defeat their captors and executioners. The Confederacy of Independent Systems also made use of binders, replete with duranium could sense danger from the outside.
Anakin could sense danger screaming to him in the Force. At least, the cuffs haven't blinded his abilities. He knew whoever out there would be in here any minute...
And they would find him!
Ugh! He hated these types of cuffs but they did serve their purposes back in their time but not now! What has Bail Organa done?!
He attempted to disconnect from the bed as he struggles, managing to collapse as the door was blasted open, and he ducked under the bed which had a few medical crates which meant it was complicated for him to fit in, knowing that if the stormtroopers investigate and search under the bed, they would find him.
He backed himself up into a wall and pressed himself onto the firm wall, hoping beyond hope they don't find him. If he had his lightsaber and had been able to use the power of the Force, he would have been able to escape, but for now, he would have to believe in luck.
"Sergeant, look, one of the men found this," a trooper's voice was heard, causing Anakin to look out where certain enough, white-armed men were in the medical bay.
The sergeant grabbed his lightsaber hilt and inspected it for a few moments before planting it on his belt.
"Looks like we have found our Jedi. I want this entire bay check and investigated." The Sergeant declared, causing Anakin to roll to the right side of the bed and await.
The stormtroopers begin to investigate, and the Jedi Knight slowly came behind the sergeant and grabbed him with the middle of the cuffs, causing the sergeant to yelp out of surprise and alerting all of the stormtroopers who immediately turned and clicked the buttons to their rifles that took off their safety, falling into position behind one another.
He had placed him in a position where he could kill him easily, either by strangling him to death or accidentally being shot.
"Shoot these cuffs off or he dies," Anakin replied icily, tightening his hold on the stormtroopers throat out of enthusiasm.
The stormtroopers were all conflicted; they knew if they try to shoot the Jedi and manages to kill him, they would have to face the wrath of Darth Vader and not to mention the high possibility of them accidentally shooting his cuffs off and allowing him to escape anyhow. Orders were to capture him alive, and Vader wasn't known to be extremely lenient when missions go wrong.
But if they release him, there is a slim chance they might be able to avoid Vader's wrath and might even redeem themselves and still capture the Jedi.
After all, he is without his Order and certainly is weaker alone.
They were stuck to what to do until one fired and caught his cuff, allowing him free and making him reach down and grab his lightsaber from the trooper's belt before pushing him along.
Anakin's lightsaber was immediately met by blaster fire the second he had released the stormtrooper sergeant, causing the Jedi Knight to parry the shots back into the stormtroopers.
The Jedi Knight lunged towards a stormtrooper and slice vertically, watching in dark satisfaction as the stormtrooper collapsed before swinging his lightsaber at the others.
Years of experience aided him as he seized a stormtrooper with the Force and threw him into the wall, cracking upon impact and allowing him to fall unconscious before deflecting each of the shots and watching as one by one went down by the blaster bolts.
Suddenly, the door was barged open, leaving Anakin to jump up and deflected each of the blaster shots back into the armored men. These men were horrible shots, he'd noted, as he swiped all of the shots away before raising his hand and simultaneously blasted the stormtroopers into the wall near the door.
Anakin grabbed his cloak and cape and begins to move, lightsaber in hand as he raised his hood, not wanting for his identity to be revealed.
From behind, ten stormtroopers pointed blasters at him, the clicking sounds of their blasters being taken off safety obvious. Anakin smirked devilishly and turned around, grabbing a nearby statue and collapsing it on top of them. He knew it was slightly disrespectful to the dead statue of the house, but he knew that these stormtroopers are sterilizing the galaxy and now he is one of the remaining Jedi who could fight.
Three stormtroopers shot from infront but Anakin twirled his blade and their shots return to them. Anakin turned and moved in a blurring strike, swinging as he did with the battle droids for three years. The Knight slashed downward and chopped their limbs off followed with their heads.
Anakin pushed the shots away with his lightsaber moving to block shots. Anakin growled and lifted two of the stormtroopers to the ceiling, cracking their backs, before pulling them back and twisting his blade sideways, disconcerting their heads from their bodies.
What Anakin didn't see as he marched down was the squadrons of the stormtroopers started merging together and the door closing, obviously attempting a different strategy that had been able to outmatch others before. All of them saw Skywalker approaching slowly, marching with his lightsaber in his hand.
All of them instantly begin shooting but Anakin deflected each of the shots relentlessly and brutally, taking one of the troopers down as he begins to twirl in a dance, arcing his lightsaber in his hand. Thanks to Kenobi frequently assisting him in lightsaber techniques, the Jedi Knight never lost his fighting movements, and actually improved in power.
The dust soon surrounds him from many blaster fires. Deciding to use this as an opportunity to discover his new power, Anakin deactivated his lightsaber as he walked down the halls that still smoked with gas. The stormtroopers begin going to the doors that could have led them to other levels but the Jedi Knight uses the Force to seize the door.
The halls seem to be black when they saw the Knight appearing, blue lightsaber glistening to life, flashing as he stands in position, poised to strike.
"Open fire!" One stormtrooper shouted as they begin shooting at Anakin.
Anakin flicked his wrist as he seized the stormtroopers; they shot at Anakin who moved his hand, teleporting them to different directions, before crushing four of them with one flick of his hand. The Force User grabbed one statue and then grabbed another statue and placed them both in front of him as shields. This was an opportunity to use the Force to his knowledge past his years.
One after one the stormtroopers were falling, trying to shoot the Knight down.
"Open the door now! The Jedi is moving to the main grounds!" One of the stormtroopers shouted in their comlink.
Anakin released one of the statues that behead five stormtroopers and send their heads to the ground, followed by their lifeless bodies. The other stormtroopers backed up, shooting at him but the statue deflected every single shot.
The Jedi Knight uses his empty hand to tore blasters from three of the stormtroopers hands which forced the defenseless stormtroopers to run while the one with the only blaster shot at Skywalker.
"Open the doors now, and once we are all in there close it!" The same stormtrooper shouted, continuing to shoot at Anakin who use the statue as his deflection.
One of the stormtroopers ran to the button and opened the door, and the remaining stormtroopers begin running down. The doors were about to close but Anakin reached out with the Force to the stormtrooper that just shot at him, trying to bring him over. The stormtrooper begins shouting as his arm was pulled in by Anakin. His shouts were heard as the doors close around him, chopping off his arm.
Anakin grinned and released the remaining statue upon the doors, which exploded the door and killed them. He noted a few stormtroopers were trying to shoot him. Finally tapping into the Force, Anakin speedrun to them, swiping each of them down. As Anakin cut down the last stormtrooper, he didn't realize one trooper was throwing a grenade at him.
He felt the grenade throwing onto the floor but he quickly raised his hand and sent it back at the stormtroopers. Unfortunately, not in enough time as it exploded around them, sending him into a wall, his lightsaber hilt was out of his hand as stormtroopers emerged and pointed their blasters at him.
He stood up in a threatening manner, his eyes glaring at them, going between golden and blue as his battered robe swayed behind him. It was quite similar to General Grievous now after the mission to Hypori, but it was just a man in black.
Raising his hands, a dark blast exploded from his hand and they were sent against the wall, letting out yelps and screams of pain.
Anakin called for his lightsaber and begin running through the hallways. Two squadrons begin shooting at him without hesitation. Anakin fights them off even more aggressively.
Anakin's blade moves up and down, slashing through them with his blade twitching at each slash. He was hoping he wasn't killing his own men or men that he had fought with before back in the Clone Wars, but he didn't stop as the blade made contact with flesh armored.
Anakin saw assassin stormtroopers appearing all around him. He remembered whereas most clones prefer to use firearms, some clones are best in the expertise of fighting their opponent head-on. And that was proven when the assassins impale their blades through their targets before they begin to run up with knives in their hand, and Anakin knew he must be careful. These are assassin stormtroopers who can easily kill him since he had gone on assignments with the clones variation of the stormtroopers back in the Clone Wars before and knew they are easily recognizable. Anakin got into a fighting stance and move his blade down to his right side.
One assassin got ahead of them and move to cut him, moving at a fast speed that almost any Jedi would not see. But Anakin moved in a blur, pressing his lightsaber vertically to the trooper's head, hacking down and cutting off both of the assassin's head and arm off.
Two other assassins tried to get him from both angles and tried to cut him from both sides. Easily, Anakin swift his blade and cleanse one of the assassins whereas the other barely manages to duck away from Anakin. The Force Wielder saw the same assassin who managed to duck away from him the first time struck at his back. Anakin lifted his blade behind him to blocked one of the strikes before impaling him and making him let out a scream.
One assassin stormtrooper threw a knife at him, targeting his stomach. Anakin tilted his hand to the side, grabbing the knife with the Force and sending it back to its owner. While he was doing this, another assassin ran up to strike his side. Anakin lunged his blade down to cut off his neck, but the assassin managed to duck. The man strikes upwards, cutting the assassin's shoulder off, before impaling him. Now the assassins were all but dead. They have likely killed many Jedi with their fighting and stealth skill.
Troopers begin shooting at him with a few running up with lethal weapons. The Knight arched his blade each time to deflect the shots each time. Instead of sending it back to the owners, he was targeting the assassins so they won't stab him. The assassins fell to the ground due to rapid blaster fire. Had it been any other Jedi, they would have been shot down or impaled already; but Anakin is a killing machine, having been a Jedi Knight for the longest and developing in power.
Anakin reached out for a statue and collapsed it onto the ground, crushing probably an entire platoon before walking out casually.
The heat of Anakin's blade ran through and out a skull of a stormtrooper who attempted to hide behind the corridor.
It was then he had noticed odd stormtroopers entering. Unlike the rest, their armor wasn't plain white but with cybernetic augmentations, and at that moment, he had sensed the clones within them.
Yet, he had known he would be unable to talk reality within them. There was more machine now than men, twisted and controlled like droids.
He brought the table up with the Force and slammed it into the troopers which had sent into the wall.
The troopers begin to fire at Anakin who immediately intercepted each of the shots, and for once, he was actually feeling a strain onto himself. These are clone troopers! They were his-his friends! Now, they were his enemy!
Worse, it was of the 501st! Images of him chopping off Palpatine's head was suddenly growing frustratingly more tempting than ever!
He shouted as he raised his lightsaber over his shoulderblade, golden eyes flashing as everything started to fade and he had felt like a different person, hacking away at the stormtroopers, and for a moment, he could see Palpatine on their helmet and his robes! He growled as off the stormtroopers' heads! He roared and his swipes became more furious!
He raised his left hand, and surprisingly, blue plasma came from his hand and crashed into several platoons of stormtroopers! Force lightning!
Slowly, everything returned back into normal in his vision, and the Jedi Knight within him returned as he could see more stormtroopers onto the ground, calling off of the light side of the Force.
They fired SE-14r light repeating blasters at him and one of their bolts hit his leg, provoking him in grabbing three of the troopers and snapped their necks instantly. It was a good thing they were wearing helmets... because he couldn't bare to look them in the eyes.
The battalions that entered were holding the twin DC-17 hand blasters and SE-14r blasters. He slowly was becoming overwhelmed. When one trooper went down, to Anakin's vision, five troopers would apparently assume his positions.
Instead of attempting to protect each other, they were using who they once call their brothers as human shields. Anakin blocked all of the blaster shots before withdrawing his saber and reaching out his hand, surprisingly blocking each of the blaster fire with tutaminis before blasting them with a powerful Force Wave that knocked them into a wall.
Anakin's lightsaber twirled around and he hacks away at them, every-so-often bringing his lightsaber up to counter the blaster shots back at the stormtroopers before another shot hit him in the robotic arm, but he had gotten used to being shot there and growled before cutting down the trooper that shot him in the stomach and watches as he falls onto the ground.
The stormtroopers released a barrage of shots, and it appears it was never going to end before he outstretched a hand, jumping up, and distinguishing them with a massive Force Blast.
The smoke cleared up around him seconds later and he stares at the broken things along with the many lifeless troopers across the hallways, all by either his forms of a lightsaber or near mastery of the Force.
Anakin's hood was pulled back, enough to reveal himself unlike before, but not enough to tear his hood down.
A few more platoons entered the room and begin to blast at him, leaving the Chosen One to reflect blaster bolts back into their owners, watching as they fell onto the ground.
One of the reflected blaster bolts hit the button that closed the door, allowing Anakin to sigh in relief, but he had known it wasn't over yet as he could hear stormtroopers from other corridors who would be in any minute now.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps and angled his lightsaber in a Soresu form in front of him, not sensing the dark side that he had sensed not that far away who was likely the machine version of himself, but sensing a familiar presence that was still a threat nonetheless.
Suddenly, a trooper entered the room, blaster raised with other stormtroopers. Anakin can sense the man behind the helmet and armor and he can tell that he was a former clone trooper that he had known well.
He was surprised. He had thought all clone troopers were morphed into those emotionless beings, but now he could see there are a few clones who he could probably be able to persuade.
If they haven't completely lost their insanity and became the monster Palpatine was revealed to being. After all, the Empire likely forced them into witnessing horrifying things that would drive anyone insane.
"Commander Cody," Anakin spoke impassively, sensing other stormtroopers aiming their guns at him all around him.
Cody's eyes went wide. At first, he was determined and dead-set on carrying out his orders, despite having a conscience and knowing it was wrong deep down.
The clones were more than just flesh and blood versions of droids - they were people. They had their own unique personalities, their own thoughts, their own viewpoints and opinions, the ability to make independent decisions.
Blurs of Order 66, blurs of shooting down General Kenobi from the ledge on the planet of Utapau, blurs of hunting down the Jedi throughout the galaxy during the dark times of the Empire's rise invaded the clone's memory.
Cody noted that General Skywalker didn't look more aged before the last time he had seen him on Yerbana, having heard his voice afterward and catching a brief glance of him speaking to General Kenobi before traveling to Utapau.
Was-was it possible that General Skywalker...?
It was no secret that most of the former clone troopers of the GAR had known that Darth Vader was General Anakin Skywalker. He had fought the same way, lead in similar tactics, and had always naturally protected the former clones.
That meant either he was cloned somehow or... or General Skywalker, by the Force, came to the future somehow. Now, he could see why General Kenobi use to believe in those Jedi Tricks and had maintained the belief that anything is possible with the Force.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this, sir," Cody apologized solemnly, raising his gun. He was a Supreme Commander of the Emperor and had served the Emperor without question or hesitation, meaning that he has to do this.
Though his natural instincts and the friendship he had with General Kenobi and General Skywalker were all but urging him to not comply, to not do this, to redeem himself from what he has done.
But he is no longer that clone trooper who was freed to question orders. He was a soldier of the Empire; one of the top soldiers next to Commander Appo.
He had detested the Empire. He had never understood why most clones hated their participation in Order 66 because he had mainly been at the Emperor's side for years, but when Darth Vader had told the Emperor that he was certain that Kenobi was behind this so-called presence which he now knows is Darth Vader, he had grown hesitant as memories begin to flash through his vision and he had nearly spoken out but remained himself in the risk of being executed to be a demonstration to the few troopers who have any freewill left not to protest.
He had made a vow to feel in the empty void of his heart that he would go on to loyally serve the Empire and perishes fighting the rebels, whom he had attempted to curse to his last dying breath.
Cody was tired of the ridiculous notion that the clones are good guys. They aren't. They gun down Jedi children in cold blood when ordered to do so.
Cody was a soldier. Good soldiers follow orders.
Yet, what type of orders should be followed? Cody tried to convince himself that whatever the animal he has become, he was justified in blasting down General Kenobi.
He twisted in conflict as the stormtroopers begin to approach in all directions.
He had to choose what to do as each aimed their gun at the Jedi Knight, believing they would be able to outmatched the Hero with no Fear who is exceptionally strong in the Force, even if they were all in formation.
At this, more stormtroopers stormed in from the door Skywalker just closed with blaster rifles shooting it down.
"If you surrender, sir, the Empire shall be merciful," Cody declared, seeing much of General Kenobi in the young man still by the fact that he had chosen to develop a beard.
"Merciful? Cody, you call killing children, abducting them, controlling men, and enslaving trillions of innocent beings merciful?!" Anakin exclaimed, pointing his lightsaber at the Purge Zero troopers. "How can you just stand aside while this happens to your brothers?! They are nothing but unthinking droids now!"
Cody winced as he stares over at the former clone troopers who weren't even looking at him, but was determined to carry out their orders.
"The senate was corrupt and complacent, letting Naboo suffer for no reason. The Empire ended the corrupt stability and take swift action against those in danger. Corporate power was greater than the power of the senate point. The Empire brought power away from corporate interests. The Jedi were arrogant peacekeepers. They often denied things existed if they didn't know about them, and would ignore the wishes and wisdom of others to serve their own ideals, abusing their position of power and trust. The Empire ended this." Cody retorted calmly, attempting to be neutral in his words when he had felt a core cutting deep. "The Empire is a benign dictatorship to most people. They provide a police force that tries to stop crime, they provide military stability. The average Tatooinian isn't abused or even exposed to the horrors of the empire. You'd think an outlaw planet like Tatooine would see the worst of it, right? The Empire promotes people of skill, having pilot academies, and promoting skilled commanders. Contrast this to the bloat and corruption of the Republic."
"While it may have done all of those things, Cody, all they did is attempt to rule through fear. This galaxy is in ruins and your brothers are nothing but machines!" Anakin paused for a moment, and suddenly getting an idea that hopefully would strike the commander deep but has its immense amount of risks. "Rex! Think of Rex! It's the Empire's fault that Rex is dead! He was your closest brother throughout the Clone Wars!"
Cody grimaced. He had known if Rex had gotten the choice, he would never submit such to such a government as the Empire. What would he say right now?
He noticed a few troopers staring at-no glaring at him, silently demanding him to commit such an order to capture him despite the fact that he had known he was correct.
"Let's talk about people keep having to identify themselves, continue to wipe out an entire ancient religion, including children. What did children have to do with threatening the stability of the Republic? Is killing a bunch of innocent children justifiable, Cody? And let's talk about one of the Imperial senior officials who is fond of using his magic mind powers to choke his own allies when they annoy or disappoint him, sometimes to death. That's correct, I have heard about Darth Vader. And your argument that they are the good guys is what? That he is doing best for the Empire. Not exactly playing catch, is it? That every once in a while somebody mentions maintaining 'order.' Know who else did this? Every murderous dictator ever. I was naive in a believing dictatorship would succeed but now I could see why Democracy is necessary." Anakin said regretfully, bowing his head since he couldn't believe dictatorship was necessary.
"One definite thing the Empire did is that it provided security to all, however forceful that was. Its Stormtrooper Corps is occasionally corrupt, but under adequate leadership, it enforced Imperial law effectively. At the end of the Clone Wars, the Empire seized all private corporations, whether formerly Separatist or Republic, and integrated them into the Imperial war machine. This expanded the galactic economy, eliminated a powerful and dominant private sector, and increased the number of jobs."
"That's Palpatine talking, Cody!" Anakin snarled, scowling at the clone commander. "I lost my men, Cody! So did you! If you had to kill Rex or any of your men, would you do it?! Tell me, Cody, did you hate Kenobi?!"
Cody paused again. Truthfully, he didn't.
"Kenobi betrayed me! It was the Jedi who kept my brothers enslaved! We did your bidding! We served at your whim! You led us and cost the demise of millions of us!" It was a false attempt to convince himself more than Skywalker that he was right.
Anakin grimaced. Cody was correct as well, and instead of attempting to deny it as he would have throughout the Clone Wars, the young Jedi Knight had accepted reality more than back then.
The Grand Army of the Republic was put under the command of Jedi who had never led large armies. They had at times led small teams on missions during the times leading up to the outbreak of the Clone Wars.
But the focus of the Jedi was one-on-one fighting if they had to fight. They weren't trained to lead armies, and you see this very clearly with the Battle of Geonosis. You see them leading the clones in a massive frontal assault, with very little thought of strategy or tactics.
They learned on the go, and many clones remembered the battle without any fondness. Many clones were led to believe that the Jedi didn't care if the troops lived or they died.
Now, Geonosis can be argued with the fact that these Jedi suddenly had this massive army, and were surprised and unsure of what to do with it besides run them forward.
But it goes much longer than this. The Jedi have to learn on the job, and it costs many clones and Jedi lives as they struggle to gain control over how to lead armies.
He had known at the beginning of the war, it was a horrible year for the Grand Army of the Republic and the Jedi Order.
"And who benefitted it from us keeping you enslaved, commander? Not you, you became a mindless soldier. Not your brothers who were all hunted by what they have done. And not me who became more machine than man. The Clone Wars were the beginning of the end for Palpatine's power play. Look into yourself, Cody, Palpatine was playing all of us and generated battles like Umbara and Geonosis. Thousands of men countless lives are wasted because of Palpatine's treachery." Anakin protested, knowing that he is going to have a problem with so many troopers aiming their guns at him and would fire at any minute.
Cody paused for a moment. "Your lies will not sway me, General." He caught his tongue as many stormtroopers turned to him and stared at him in confusion, noticing that Cody just called the traitor "General".
"No of course not, Commander, why wouldn't Palpatine want battles like that? To him, you clones are expendable while he was probably drinking tea in his office as the war continues, peacefully knowing that he won't ever be harmed." Anakin then nodded, surprising Cody. "A dictatorship is a lot more efficient than a parliament. But it allows no freedom at all. The republic isn't perfect. If you don't get this right, you will be the one committing treason, not me."
Cody hesitated and stares over at the stormtroopers, wishing there was Boil or any other men besides shinies and the pathetic stormtroopers. Despite being a battalion bred for the war, the men would always share suggestions, and Cody quite takes those recommendations to heart as the 7th Sky Corps wouldn't have been as strong otherwise back in the Clone Wars.
Cody lowered his gun and did some soul searching, not for the first time missing the Clone Wars greatly. There were rights and wrongs.
Cody knew he was nothing else but a lifeless machine... no a lifeless dog and servant to the Empire. Not that clones are comparable to dogs in any other way besides their loyal obedience to a master but can a dog be considered evil simply because their master asks them to attack someone. Cody was nothing but a dog.
Does Cody want to die a bitter old stormtrooper on a distant outpost hated by his soldiers whom he hates in turn? Does he want his life to be a plain and simple tragedy?
"I'm sorry," he spoke, raising his gun at Skywalker, wanting-no wishing that none of this ever happened.
It is though and it cannot be avoided.
Cody had to follow his orders!
Cody fired.
Arthur's note: Anakin killing stormtroopers throughout this chapter is fun. I love action chapters, especially involving our favorite Chosen One.
Cody is in a conflicted state right now and so am I about his fate. Should he remain loyal to the Empire like Neyo and Bacara and carry out his duties OR should he pulled a Rex and help General Skywalker?
May the Force be with you all always.